The Times-Delphic’s year in review: breaking news, readers’ favorites

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Grades have been submitted, transcripts updated and J-term is on the horizon. With 2016 behind students, The Times-Delphic is taking a look back on some of the most important and most-read news stories of the last semester.

Following the election of Donald Trump, Drake officials moved to support immigrant students on campus, especially those who are undocumented.

President Marty Martin noted that the university “will not act on behalf of government agents to enforce immigration laws for the purpose of facilitating deportations.” In extension, Drake committed itself to taking steps to protect the privacy and records of students, including citizenship status.

The court filing claims that Courtney Graham was discriminated against by having her responsibilities stripped and being sent home without explanation after her sexuality became known in November 2014 when Graham’s girlfriend, to whom she is now married, attended a game at the Knapp Center.

This came after former athletic trainer Scott Kerr filed a lawsuit with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission against Drake University.

Chelsi Barraza, one of the three girls who lived in the dorm, sent a picture of the door through Snapchat with the caption “look what someone did to my door.” Senior Kenia Calderon shared the photo on Facebook, which garnered over 500 shares and 1,000 Facebook ‘reactions’ less than a day later.

Four students came forward and admitted to taping up the posters. Drake provost Sue Mattison emailed the student body, letting them know that the university was “able to immediately initiate emergency suspension from the residence halls.”

“By hosting Mr. Trump we were not endorsing or affirming his opinions,” President Marty Martin wrote. “Rather, we were doing exactly what a university should do, which is to facilitate a free and open debate through which ideas and positions can be put to the test.”

The Times-Delphic decided to undertake the task of polling the Drake University student body, as well as its faculty and staff, to place a more concrete measure on the political leaning and climate of our campus.

In what was the highlight of the semester for the campus (at least on social media), Drake the rapper didn’t show up during the day when students expected. He did, however, show up to campus, when everyone was asleep.